Where Shadows Run From Themselves
by OldManDempsey
Summary: A semi-continuation of Heaven's Side Story. Tohsaka Rin and Michael Christian (OC) look into a death surrounded by strange circumstances. Takes place after the Heaven's Feel True Ending.
1. Chapter 1

AN: I kinda felt like doing one more of these. There's admittedly a little bit less Rin this go-round, but that's just how things turned out. I'll try to finish my other story soon; I've been feeling kind of down, and I didn't want that to bleed into other stuff. Hopefully, I got it all out of my system here.

The title is a reference to the song "White Room," by Cream.

* * *

Where Shadows Run From Themselves

* * *

The guy had just been standing there, looking over the railing. Supposedly he liked to walk the bridge at his own leisure, and very often. The sun had been setting, making the running water underneath a dazzling crimson. People heading home from work paid him no mind. He didn't pay himself any mind. He was there, and not there. He was floating in the tide of his own thoughts.

His stomach would have felt tight, but he probably ignored it. Then it would have gotten bad. He would have felt his still digesting lunch start to creep up his throat. His eyes would have been wide at that point. That was the moment he screamed, and it was only so loud because his lungs were getting squeezed. From the center, up and down, he was being crushed like a tube of toothpaste. His guts would have started to burst from both ends. Then finally, his eyes.

The police had it all roped off. The Association set it up so the suit (his named turned out to be Reinald), Rin Tohsaka, and I were allowed on the scene as special investigators. I felt bad for Tohsaka. She was going to have to scrub the memory of every cop that was present.

I turned back to my own troubles, which were covered by a blanket: Mitch Campdon, 28 years old, crushed to death, by seemingly nothing.

Reinald stepped up to my side, "Clearly, we're needed."

"By we, you mean we." I pointed at Tohsaka and I.

Reinald ignored me, "This was done in full view of the public. We can't let anyone get away with this."

I flicked my smoke off the bridge, and the cops that had been scowling at me finally looked away. "Why? I mean, why would anyone do this?" I said. "Did you know him? Did anyone know him?"

"No one but his coworkers at the factory, and some family," Reinald said. "A nobody. He didn't have a lot of friends."

"And if he has a past, I'm the one to find it."

"Exactly."

I turned to Rin, "You've been on this longer than I. Find anything?"

Tohsaka crossed her arms, "Just where he lives. I've only been on this for an hour."

I ran a hand through my hair. What the hell. Just what the hell. The cops started scowling at me again when I pulled out my near empty pack. Screw 'em. I needed to think. I tried not to think about leaving the country.

Reinald kept going, "We've already procured footage from the cameras, and I have a man looking up who was on any passing boats. But even still, they could have been treading water."

"Athletic and psychotic. Great." I turned my back on it, nudging Tohsaka, "Gimme the address. Meet me when you're done."

Twenty minutes later I was standing outside Campdon's place wondering what I'd do for dinner. I had my flask, but I felt like having something solid. It would be easier to throw up later.

Tohsaka had left me a key to Campdon's, so I let myself in. The police were calling his death an accident, though I had no idea what lame excuse the Association had come up with. As a result, nobody cared when I walked into the lobby, up the stairs, and even into Campdon's flat.

The place smelled, but not too bad. There were some clothes draped on chairs, the kitchen table had a half cup of coffee on it, and the toilet seat was up. It was definitely a bachelor pad. I walked into Campdon's bedroom, looking at the framed pictures he had on a dresser. Most of them looked like his family, either wearing Christmas sweaters or standing around in someone's backyard. I pulled out my phone and readied the camera, taking photos of them, just in case. Then I came across one picture that was on the nightstand, right next to his bed, as if he could look at it every night and morning. It was the only interesting thing I had found up to that point, so I snapped a shot of it, but then picked it up to get a closer look.

It was a picture of Campdon, and I was surprised to see that he looked rather rugged, strong, and I even had to admit, handsome. If he had lived in the States, and if you told me he had been captain of the football team, I'd believe you. He looked like he should have been dressed up in a brand new suit, closing deals between bigwigs, then going hiking or bareback riding afterward. He didn't look like a golfer. I scratched my head, but then remembered that looks could be deceiving. I focused on the girl he had his arm wrapped around, and nearly dropped the picture. She was short, but not stumpy looking. She was perfectly toned, and my eyes got stuck on her especially toned legs. She might have been tiny, but your eyes would run up and down those legs for miles. Her skin was a little too pale for me, but I didn't think that would be a problem for more than a half-second. She had long black hair tied back in a pony-tail, and a smile that made you feel that everything was going to be alright. She was the kind of girl that people would start wars over.

When I managed to pull myself back into reality, I pulled the picture out of the frame, flipping it over. On the back was written: "Mitch and Rebecca, Paris, 2009." I took a shot of the back, then replaced the picture where it was. Now I was even more confused. Looking over the apartment, it suddenly seemed a lot shabbier. The kind of man who lived there probably couldn't spirit away a young woman to Paris, even for just a weekend. I took another look at the photo. Campdon was dressed rather plain, and Rebecca looked like she was trying her hardest to be plain. I smirked. Maybe Campdon found an easy way out of his bachelor pad. Or at least, he thought he did. It had a been a year since he went with her to Paris.

I scoured the flat again, this time with more vigor. Campdon had a laptop, but it was locked. There was no address book, but this was "the future," after all, so he'd have all that on his phone, and that was likely crushed. There was no trace of anyone else living with him, no letters requesting child support, no secret journal that would tell me who really killed JFK. Nothing. It was just like Reinald said, the man was a nobody.

I paced the apartment, and smoked three cigarettes while I did so. I started to wonder where Rin was. Looking outside, I saw it was getting dark out. I could also see the rooftop of the building next door, and on it was someone clad in black. I couldn't really see their face, but I could tell that they had one of their arms stretched out, and were slowly moving it across their body.

"Hell of a place to practice your Tai Chi, buddy," I said to no one in particular. They looked like they were staring at me, so I moved my eyes back to my reflection. That's when I saw something floating behind me. I whirled around, and saw my matches had freed themselves of my pocket and were flying toward the gas stove. I never believed it when people told me that smoking screwed up your sense of smell. I do now.

One match pulled free of the pack, and started to strike against it. Right over the stove.

I spun back to the window and wrenched it open. I got my feet on the ledge and leaped over to the fire escape on the other building, just as the flat blew. Fire licked at my ankles as I jumped. I slammed my chest into a railing, but couldn't hold on, and I only just grabbed the ledge underneath as I fell. I would have been swearing, but I was too busy wheezing. When they told me that smoking killed you, I never thought it would be like that.

I couldn't pull myself up, so I swung forward instead, kicking my feet to gain momentum. I timed and released, falling hard on the metal grating right below where I grabbed. I landed on my back, struggling to keep the little breath I had. Then I saw the figure from across the way looking down at me.

"You're lucky I ain't carrying today," I coughed, and started to rise. Swaying like a drunk, I ended up pointing myself at the alley the fire escape led to. That's when I saw a dumpster fly off the ground, zooming straight at my face. I dropped to my stomach and it rushed by, slamming into the platform right above me. It bounced off the building, and by some miracle, when it came back down it missed where I was. The entire fire escape had lost its integrity, though, and the metal started to let out pained squeals. I panicked, and started to clamber down as fast as I could, jumping the stairs two at a time. I was up near the second level when the escape had started to pull away from the building. I made it to the first floor, but I didn't bother climbing down the ladder to ground level. I dropped and rolled, running out of the alley as the fire escape crashed to the ground.

My vision was darkening from exhaustion, but I kept running, and ended up slamming into an unsuspecting Tohsaka, bowling her over. She started screaming something at me in Japanese. Our legs got tangled, so I stumbled into the street, falling in front of an oncoming double-decker bus. I was on my knees, holding a hand up feebly as the driver slammed on the brakes. I already knew there was no way for the guy to stop in time. I felt bad for him. He would probably lose his job.

Suddenly, I was pulled back, and my foot was nearly run over by the bus. I stared at it stupidly, then leaned my head back and locked eyes with Tohsaka. She looked at me with astonishment for a moment, then started cursing me out. At least, I think she was. It was all still in Japanese. Apparently, I didn't find her too interesting, so I passed out, just like that.


	2. Chapter 2

I was staring at the ceiling, wondering where I was. I tried to sit up, fighting through ragged breaths. I got about halfway when I felt a hand on my back. Someone held me up, and moved some pillows for me to lean on. I muttered some thanks, and turned to look around. I had no shirt on, just something that looked like pajama pants. The entire room was almost made of stone, and very drafty. It looked like a room in a castle. There were other beds in there, and I realized that it was an infirmary. "Their" infirmary.

"I'm quite touched," I sputtered. "I thought I was cannon fodder to you people."

"While that's not true, I wouldn't add too much value to yourself," an icy voice replied. "You'll just end up being disappointed in the end."

I rubbed my eyes and turned to look at her. She was Japanese, with hair past her shoulders, though not as long as Tohsaka's. Her eyes were also much darker, both in pigment and demeanor. I nodded at my suit and overcoat, "My smokes still in there?"

She retrieved them for me without a word. I pulled one out, then remembered my matches had gone up with Campdon's flat. I turned back to the mystery magus, and saw that she was putting a leather glove on one hand. She concentrated for a second, and then a small flame danced on her pointer finger. She held it out to me, and I lit up. She blew it out, then pocketed the glove.

"Neat trick," I said. "And thanks again. I'm surprised I'm even allowed to smoke in here."

She nodded coolly at me, "My mentor does it all the time. They're not a big fan of her, which is why she keeps hiding out in Japan."

"Swell, another troublemaker." I studied her. "What makes you so interested in my well-being?"

She rose with a sarcastic smile, "It seems my mentor is a bit of a trend-setter. I just wanted to see what kind of spin Tohsaka had put on her old... setup? Hmmm. Let's just go with that."

"Let's." I tried to look dignified. It's not my strong suit.

She walked away, then stopped at the door, "You'd do well to be careful. 'Normal' people like you... let's just say they don't always make it out alright."

"Not always, huh?"

She turned back to look at me, "Sometimes, they come out alright. Even if it means hurting those around them." She paused, then narrowed her eyes, "Even those who care deeply about them. You look like that foolhardy type. I wish you luck."

She walked out, but even from behind, I could see the nasty chip on her shoulder.

I lay there for a while, watching the smoke lazily rise from my cigarettes. I almost finished the pack, using each one to light the next, then got dressed. I was the only person in the infirmary, so I didn't think I would be missed. My suit was pretty much ruined. It felt wet when I put it on, so I was constantly chilled. The draft was a lot worse in the hallways, too. Looking out the windows I passed, I saw that it was morning. I brushed past and got strange looks from people who looked like runaways from a Renaissance Fair. They were bustling about, babbling about research, what they learned from their master, and about theories. It was the most boring co-ed campus that ever existed.

I made my way to a courtyard, and ended up sitting on a bench, staring at the cloudy sky. After a few minutes, I was staring up at an upside down image of an annoyed Tohsaka. She asked, "What are you doing?"

"Zoning out. Thinking hurts."

"Reinald wants to see us."

"I bet he does. Lead the way."

We sauntered through the halls side by side. I looked at Tohsaka, "Are they mad?"

"Mad? Oh, you mean angry. Well, a little. That was pretty crazy, yesterday. Reinald is on your side, though. He's been going back and forth with them, trying to tell them how reasonable you are, and that you probably just got mixed up in something bigger than you. He has also been saying your quite capable of keeping your mouth shut."

"Yeah? I had the impression he didn't like me." I still didn't like him.

Tohsaka giggled lightly, "Well, no, he doesn't. He likes you as an asset."

"Ah. Shoulda known."

We stopped outside a door. Tohsaka turned to me, "Wait here, I'll be right back."

I nodded, then looked over to a small crowd of people down the way from us. "Black's in this year, huh?"

Tohsaka followed my gaze, then said, "No, they're in mourning. That's the Cobalt family, and they just lost their youngest. The Association invited them here to offer their condolences and support. It's mostly for show, being that the Cobalts are pretty well off. They're one of the most prestigious families in Europe." She then gave me a serious look, "Don't bug them."

"Now why would I do that?" I guess we both thought about the rent..

Tohsaka just rolled her eyes and walked through the door. I turned back to the Cobalts. A woman, maybe only just thirty, had wandered from them, and sat on a bench in between her family and I. She reached into her tiny purse, and started to play with a fancy lighter. I watched her for a moment, with my hands in my pockets, then walked over casually. She looked up at me. Her eyes matched her family name, and her skin was a pleasant olive tone. She had black hair that was cut short, hanging just below her jaw. Her expensive outfit actually brought down her beauty. Anything would. She was a rare jewel.

I slowly pulled out my pack and shook one loose. "Here. It's the least I can do." Now, I don't know what popular opinion is when it comes to me, but I honestly meant that, with no ulterior motives. Mostly.

She took it gingerly, rolling it about in her fingers carefully. After a moment, she placed it in between her ruby red lips, and tried to light it with her shaking hands. I took the lighter from her, and lit the cigarette. She took it back with a soft touch, and spoke in the same way, "Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

She inhaled deeply, then blew out a cloud of smoke. It seemed to help relax her. She stared at the cig, then said, "I can't seem to stay quit."

"I don't think anyone will give you any trouble for it." I re-pocketed the pack, and started to walk away. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"You're Michael Christian, aren't you?"

I stopped and turned back. "Gee, handing out my card seems to be paying off."

She smiled faintly, "I'm not too sure that's the case. You've been the talk of the 'Tower recently."

"Is that so?"

She nodded, then extended her hand, "I guess it's only fair you know my name as well. Marilyn Cobalt." I shook it with a smile. After, she kept talking, "It's not so often that someone steps into this world the way you have."

"I heard it usually doesn't work out so well."

"Perhaps. But I have a feeling about you."

"Really? Well, that's nice to hear, especially after yesterday." A silence fell between us. My nosy side butted in, "If you don't mind me asking..."

She looked down at the floor, "How did she die?"

I nodded. Mortality had been on my mind a lot, and I had developed a morbid curiosity to what happened to people in Tohsaka's world. It was a blunt and rather rude question, but I couldn't help myself. I just hoped that my impulses hadn't offended her.

She played with her smoke, then looked back up at me, "She... suicide. It was a suicide."

I felt my stomach drop through the floor. I reached for my pack, and when I looked up, she was holding her lighter out to me. She smiled, and I felt a little better. "It's only fair," she said.

"Thank you very much." I lit up, and gave it back.

She sighed and stared out a window, "It's scary, isn't it?"

"What is?"

"How easy it is to die. We can't even be safe from ourselves."

I didn't know how to respond to that. It rang too true to me. I stared out the window with her. A few minutes later, I said, "These things happen."

"What? 'These things happen?'"

I nodded. "I know, it's an awful thing to say, but that's just how it is. Anytime we feel like got the world by the tail, we suddenly realize we don't. A long time ago, that really got to me, that I wouldn't ever have control. It made me really mad... angry. Heh, mad fits too, I guess." I snuffed the cig and gave her a serious look. "All we end up doing is set ourselves up for the fall. I'm just glad it didn't kill me."

"I don't... I don't know if I can do that."

"Please do. I'd hate to see another... it'd just be a shame."

She rose, and looked me in the eye. I felt my breath catch. She spoke, "I'll try. Thank you, Mr. Christian. Maybe I'll see you again, sometime." She smiled again, and I couldn't feel the ground beneath my feet.

I smiled back, "Maybe."

She turned and walked back to her family, looking just a little more steady. I turned, and almost knocked Tohsaka over again. She pointed a finger in my face, "What did I say?!"

"You said don't bug them. Ask her if I was annoying. I'll apologize."

She scoffed at me and led the way into Reinald's office.


	3. Chapter 3

I smelled like blood, sweat, and sin. I had a mouthful of bourbon and a head full of bad ideas. There were days when I'd walk around town strapped. I had been partly responsible for an explosion during a secretive matter. I was a swell guy to like.

They looked like they didn't like me.

Reinald had circles under his eyes. He gave me a tired look, and said, "Please explain what happened."

I told them everything, and showed the pictures I took. They asked me to print them out, and I almost asked them if they realized those were expenses.

After ninety grueling minutes, they said I was still on the case. I didn't know whether I was pleased or not. The honchos slipped out, leaving Tohsaka and I with Reinald.

Reinald tried to get himself together, "Alright. So someone levitated the matches out of your pocket."

"I guess. I really don't know anything about that stuff."

Reinald let out a breath, "Okay. We'll look into anyone we know who specializes in that. I'm hoping like hell they aren't from outside our reach."

Tohsaka looked like she was going to burst a blood vessel from thinking so hard, "What the hell? This kind of... blatant... just who would be that stupid? That careless?"

I turned to her, "You ever heard of a crime of passion?"

I figured that she was going to hit me with a sarcastic remark, but instead she considered what I said. She then smiled at me almost apologetically, "To be frank, I figured that a magus like that wouldn't ever let their emotions get that far out of control. The amount of intense training to be that good at telekinesis would require a huge amount of discipline. But you're right, Mikey. Everyone has a breaking point."

"The question is if the person that did it was a hired gun or the person who broke," I said.

Tohsaka's face was scrunched back up in concentration, "Or if they were just naturally good. Then they might skip a few steps." Her face suddenly got very dark. I was confused, especially when I saw that Reinald had turned red. He cleared his throat, "Very well. I'll look into that. Now, Miss Tohsaka, would you kindly show Mr. Christian out?"

"Certainly," she said with a fox grin. I raised an eyebrow as she put her hand at the back of my neck.

Then everything went black. Again.

* * *

I woke up sitting at the desk in my office, and Tohsaka was sitting in the client's chair across from me, grinning cheekily. I rubbed my temples, "You know, I would have been content with a bag over my head."

"We didn't happen to have one handy."

I gave her a scowl, and she stuck her tongue out at me. I asked, "Why the hell do you people feel it's necessary to over complicate everything? Did anyone see you drag me in here?"

She played with her fingernails, "You mean carry you. And yes."

I just stared at her. She shrugged, "It's not the first time it's happened. Does it really bother you?"

"And here I am wondering why I don't get any business." I grabbed a cigarette, "So, what's our next move?"

"Well, while you were out playing action hero, I managed to track down some of his family."

"Yeah? You do realize that happened because you weren't there, right?"

She waved her hand dismissively, "Yeah, yeah, I already heard all that back at the Clocktower. Anyway, the guy has mother."

"You don't say."

She shook her head, and suddenly looked tired, "Sorry, Mikey, but some of us didn't get much sleep. What I meant to say was that she lived in the city. She's also a cancer survivor."

And with that, we both piled into my car. I made sure to drive slow. Car rides scared the hell out of Tohsaka. I always wondered if she would stick her nose out the window if I rolled it down.

Campdon's mother lived in a retirement home. Word was that even though she had beaten cancer, she was still far too frail to live on her own. Tohsaka had looked up Campdon's work, and it showed that he didn't make so much, and was always working overtime. Some of it was mandatory, so it made sense that he couldn't take care of dear old mum. On top of that, it seemed like she was on her way out.

It was easy for Tohsaka to 'charm' our way inside and arrange a meeting with Mrs. Campdon. We stalked the halls, getting wrapped in the smell of stale medicine, until we stumbled across her room. The woman had it all to herself. It didn't seem so bad, at least compared to other places like that. The curtains on the window were tied, and it let in whatever sun managed to trickle through the clouds. She was lying on her back, with her hands folded on her chest. She was staring up at the ceiling, a small, content smile sitting on her face. She didn't even acknowledge us until we had come very close. She turned her head and said, "Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't realize that you had come in. I wasn't expecting any visitors today." Though her smile never wavered, she still paused before asking, "Are you two... here to ask more questions?"

I turned away, unable to look her in the eye. Tohsaka stepped forward, though somewhat reluctantly, "Um, yes, yes we are." She looked conflicted for a moment, then closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She strode over to Mrs. Campdon, stared her dead in the eye, speaking slowly and carefully, "We are from the police. We need you to cooperate with us. You will forget about us as soon as we leave."

Mrs. Campdon's face went slack for a moment as she listened to Tohsaka, then went back to smiling, "Of course, that isn't a problem, dear." Tohsaka turned away from her, suddenly looking older. I put a hand on her shoulder and steered her away, saying, "See if you can find some chairs." She pointed sad eyes at me, gave a muted, "Yes," and started to search, her shoulders slumped. Poor girl. I wondered how much her sister knew about what Tohsaka did.

I turned back to Mrs. Campdon, putting up a stone wall between what was right and what was needed, "Mrs. Campdon, this is just a routine investigation, nothing too serious, but we want to talk to you about Mitchell."

"I thought you were already done with that. Oh well, I guess I have no choice." I wondered how much compliance had come from Tohsaka, and how much came from the line of pill bottles on the table next to her.

Tohsaka dragged up two seats, and we sat down. I leaned towards Mrs. Campdon, "We just want to ask about who Mitchell knew."

"Why?"

Tohsaka said, "A few things have come up, nothing serious, but we need to know."

Mrs. Campdon looked back towards the ceiling, thinking. She spoke after a few seconds, "Well, Mitchell didn't have many friends. He always sort of kept to himself, never giving anyone trouble. He was such a nice boy." A tear rolled down her cheek. I ignored it, "He didn't have any enemies?"

"Enemies?"

"Maybe not really enemies, per se, but people he didn't get along with."

"No, my Mitchell was always a nice boy."

"Did he have any friends that seemed strange? People who would do odd things?" Tohsaka asked.

"Of course not! My Mitchell was always such a hard worker, he wouldn't be associated with anyone bad."

I rubbed my eyes, "Uh-huh. Mitchell didn't happen to have anything strange himself, did he?"

Mrs. Campdon's head snapped towards my direction, "What do you mean?"

"You never came across anything he didn't want you to see?"

"My Mitchell never kept anything from me."

I was striking out with the woman, so Tohsaka went up to bat, "Who did Mitchell usually hang out with? You said he didn't have many friends, but he must have done something outside of work."

Mrs. Campdon shook her head, "No, not really. He would occasionally go out with some of his friends at work, but that's was all. He never had the time, because he was always working." She started crying silently, "When I got sick all those years ago, he dropped out of the university and got his job at the factory. He's had it for so long, and he turned out to be very good. He's a supervisor now. Was, I mean. His bosses liked him very much. He was always such a hard worker." She wiped her eyes on her sleeve, "He threw so much away, just to take care of me. I had to live with him for years, but I got too sick. He had to work so much, so I ended up in...," her voice trailed off.

"In here?" Tohsaka tried.

Mrs. Campdon shook her head, "No, not for a while. There was another place... I hated it." She seemed shocked by her own words, and turned to us, smiling, "I'm sorry."

Tohsaka patted her hand, "It's alright."

"That place was awful. You didn't have your own room like you do here. But it was all poor Mitchell could do. He used to come every day, but I saw how tired it was making him. He was working so much overtime, you see, just to keep me there, so someone could watch over me. I had to... I had to tell him to stop coming so much." She looked back at the ceiling, "I've always felt so guilty. And now... now I'll never get to pay him back." Her lips trembled.

Tohsaka leaned closer, "Are you alright? Do you need a moment? We'll understand."

"No, no dear, I'm quite alright. I don't want to take up too much of your time," she said with a smile. It seemed to run in the family. I desperately needed a smoke.

Mrs. Campdon continued, "I remember telling him that he needed a woman in his life. I told him that Mrs. Kelly's daughter always liked him, but of course he told me that she had gotten married already." Mrs. Campdon went back to the ceiling, but her smile was beaming now, "But then, he met Rebecca."

Tohsaka and I locked eyes, then Tohsaka said, "Who was Rebecca?"

"She was an angel. She was so very nice, so kind. I remember when she first came with Mitchell to the old home. The poor thing looked aghast. Mitchell and I tried to tell her that it wasn't all that bad, and of course we were lying. I remember she looked at us, and said, 'You two don't deserve this.'" Mrs. Campdon laughed lightly, "Mitchell told me later that was their third date."

Tohsaka's eyes widened, and I unfortunately got sarcastic in the gap, "What a guy."

I could tell that Mrs. Campdon wasn't too fond of me anymore, so she turned to Tohsaka and said, "Rebecca wanted to come. I don't know how she found out, but I always suspected she got Mitchell to tell her. She was such a good listener, and my poor Mitchell was probably just a sucker for her pretty face." She chuckled, and Tohsaka hollowly followed her, raising her eyebrows and briefly glancing at me. Mrs. Campdon kept going, "Not too long after, Mitchell came by and said that everything was going to be alright. I was going to get better, and not be in that place anymore. And he said he was going to get married."

Tohsaka and I couldn't keep our faces from getting hardened. Mrs. Campdon didn't seem to notice, "It was such a happy time. I... I got better, and left that horrible place. Mitchell went away for a while, and then...," Mrs. Campdon sighed, "They split up."

"What?!" Tohsaka blurted. "Why?"

"I don't know... I don't know why...," Mrs. Campdon's voice faltered. "Mitchell came in, and looked terrible. He just sat there, looking at the floor, holding his head in his hands. He said it was okay, that I was able to stay here, but... Rebecca had left him. I remember he had a letter, but he wouldn't show me. All he said was that it would never happen, that it couldn't happen. He started crying as he left, my poor Mitchell. He loved her so much, you could see it. The moment she entered his life, he was just so happy, even before I got better. It crushed him." She sighed, and looked out the window. I tugged uncomfortably at my collar.

Tohsaka swallowed, then said, "What happened after?"

"Nothing, really. Everything went back to normal. Until he...," She was silently crying again.

Tohsaka patted her hand again, "It's okay, we understand." She rose, and turned towards the door, "Mikey, let's go."

"Not yet," I said.

Tohsaka wheeled on me, flushed from her anger, "I think we've done enough..."

"Mrs. Campdon," I said over Tohsaka's voice, "I have one last question."

Mrs. Campdon turned to me, looking somewhat displeased, and Tohsaka crossed her arms and turned away from me, looking very displeased. I didn't care. I was pissed as well, because as usual, Tohsaka forgot one very important thing, "Mrs. Campdon, do you happen to know what Rebecca's full name was?"

"Let me see," she said. A second later, she brightened up and said, "Oh yes! I remember! Cobalt! Her name was Rebecca Cobalt!"


	4. Chapter 4

The tires squealed as I drifted the turn. Tohsaka looked green, but she still managed to scream at me, "Goddammit Mikey, slow down!"

"Reinald knew," I growled over the steering wheel. "That son-of-a-bitch knew but didn't say anything. He didn't want to believe it."

"We still don't...!"

"Like hell we don't!" I snarled. I flung my phone at Tohsaka, "Call him! Call him and ask him if he knows anyone who could do that! Anyone who could crush a man to death and blow up an apartment!"

Tohsaka fought through her sickness and dialed. While it was ringing, she yelled, "Where the hell are we going?! We don't know where the Cobalts are! They might not even be in the country!"

"I know, dammit I know! I need 'things' from the office, and I want you to ask Reinald where the Cobalts are! We need to get there first!"

She shut up and started talking to Reinald. I ran the car over the curb in front of the office, and sprinted upstairs with the engine still running. I grabbed a few cannons, and dove back behind the wheel, with Tohsaka screaming the name of the hotel at me while we peeled out of there. There was no time to lose; Tohsaka said they were leaving England that day.

I swung the car in front of the hotel, and Tohsaka and I jumped out and ran inside. I smelled even worse now, and Tohsaka's hair was frazzled. The clerk was wide-eyed as we threw ourselves at the desk. "Cobalts... give us the key," Tohsaka panted. The clerk nodded, almost completely out of it from her charm, and handed it over. His co-workers stared at him in disbelief as we snatched it and ran for the elevator, with him shouting the floor at our backs. One of them started dialing for security.

The Cobalts were all in one room on the fifth floor, servants included. We pushed out of the elevator, separating a happy couple by shoving them against the walls. We heard a few security guards shout at us when we unlocked and threw open the Cobalts' door. A well dressed man watched us with his mouth open as Tohsaka broke off the handle on the outside of the door, then slammed it shut and wedged a near-by chair underneath the handle on the inside. The guards pounded on the door, and the well-dressed man stepped up to us, saying, "What is the meaning...?"

I grabbed him roughly by his shirt and pulled him close, "Shut the hell up! None of you are going anywhere until this is over!"

"Harold?" A woman's voice traveled into the entrance way, and several serious looking servants followed it. They sized-up Tohsaka and I, and then drew swords, standing at the ready. Tohsaka stepped towards them, "We represent the Association! You are all to go back to the Clocktower under our supervision!"

"W-what?!" the man I was holding stammered. "This is completely ridiculous! An absolute outrage! We have done nothing to..."

"We have reason to believe that one or several of you were responsible for the death of a man through magecraft in full view of the public!" Tohsaka shouted over him.

Several of the Cobalts peered around the corner from the huge main area of the room. From there, it looked like the 'room' (more like dormitory) led into the different bedrooms where they were all staying. A woman in the middle of the group suddenly spun around, "Marilyn, what are you doing?"

I twitched. The man I was holding kept up his useless babble, and I let him, "Now now, just let go of me and we can talk this out. We are not completely unreasonable, and if you stop behaving so rashly we won't put forward any grievances." He held out an open hand to the servants, and they slowly sheathed their swords. Perfect, just what I was waiting for. I turned to the man, "Alright, I'm listening."

"Well, if you would just let me go we'll all cooperate. We have nothing to hide."

"Marilyn! What on earth...!"

Everyone, including the servants, turned to look back. I nodded to Tohsaka, and pushed the man against the wall, releasing him. It was only enough to rattle and let him know I wasn't screwing around, especially when he saw that I just pulled out my Python. The servants flicked their eyes at me, but missed Tohsaka diving forward holding a small side-table that was near the door. She hit them in the legs, and they all toppled over like bowling pins. She pushed her way through the rest of the Cobalts, and sprinted to her left. I stepped over the servants and followed.

Marilyn's room had a balcony, and she was standing on the railing. Tohsaka and I ran as fast as we could, but we couldn't stop her. She pointed at the ground, and then snapped her arm up. A dumpster flew off the ground, and she jumped onto it. She then pointed again, floating up a car, and as she jumped onto that, the dumpster crashed back to the ground. She kept lifting and dropping anything she could from the small side street, crossing over to a ten-story parking garage like she was jumping on stepping stones.

I pushed past Tohsaka and started to climb on the railing, not thinking. Tohsaka screamed, "Mikey! Stop!" I froze, and shook my head. What the hell was I thinking? It happened again; I had gotten too caught up in the moment. I started to turn back, "I don't know, I'm sorry, we might be able to force our way to the stairs and then..."

I was interrupted by Tohsaka grabbing me roughly, then lifting me off the ground. All I could do was yell, "Tohsaka, what in the hell are you...?!" She swung me back and forth a few times, then threw me at the parking garage, "DOOOOOOOOOOOOIIIIIIIING!"

It was a damn good throw. I hit the pavement and rolled through an empty space. I got up shakily, and started to reach for my pack out of instinct. It was either that or the flask.

"MIKEY! MOVE!"

I only just dove out of the way of Tohsaka. She hit the ground and rolled, stopping gracefully upright on her knees. She jumped up, and flicked her head back to me, "Come on! She's getting away!" She then dashed off. I blinked a few times, then ran after her.

What a bossy bitch.


	5. Chapter 5

The parking garage was deserted. I had no idea why, but I didn't care. There was no one around to get hurt. In the distance, sirens were screaming against the general hum of daytime London. There wasn't much time left. I sidled up to Tohsaka, who was standing with her back against a pillar, and cocked the hammer on the Python.

From ahead, we could hear sobbing. Tohsaka and I stepped quietly into the next row of parked cars, twitching our heads all around.

Our heels lightly clicked on the concrete, echoing softly. The sobbing grew louder as we advanced. A drop of sweat slid into my eye. I wiped it, and while doing so I saw a car suddenly float up. I kicked Tohsaka in the back, and dove backwards as the car flew through the air and crashed into another parked between us. Tohsaka and I got up and ran, now split up.

Marilyn's wailing voice reached me as I ducked behind another car, "You're coming to kill me! I broke our laws, and now I need to die!" Sobs choked her for a moment, then, "I just wanted her to be happy! I always had to look out for her!"

Logic was screaming in my head, but I didn't listen, "Marilyn! No one else has to die! Please! Just listen!"

"They'll never understand!"

The car I was crouched behind suddenly lifted into the air, and I ran as it slammed down right where I had been. I rolled behind another, and started to frantically point the Colt all over, "Please, calm down! Don't do anything stupid!"

"Stupid?!" she shrieked. "Was I stupid for looking out for my little sister?! She was always the weak one! You never saw how they looked at her, how they shunned her! I hated myself for years because of it! They gave me everything, and her nothing!"

Another car floated up, and I saw Tohsaka sprint out of the way as it crashed right behind her. She dropped out of sight, and I licked my lips and started to move forward again, trying to place Marilyn's voice before she could place mine.

"What did she ever do?!" Marilyn cried. "She was just born different from me?! How is that fair?! How?! How?!"

"Marilyn!" shouted Tohsaka. "We might be able to stop the Association before...!"

"Might?!" She spat a sick sounding laugh. It belonged to someone who was giving up. "They won't listen! They'll treat this just like my parents! Rebecca never would have made it anywhere with that... that... that...!" She let out a frustrated growl, "She could have at least been married off to someone who could take care of her! He never could! She never listened... she said they were good people, and that she loved him...," her sobs overtook her again.

She didn't need to say anything else. She sent the letter. She barred her from seeing him. She probably took her sister outside of England.

Then Rebecca killed herself.

I clicked my teeth and stood up, the Python at the ready. The sights danced in front of me, unable to keep still. I flicked them at a crouched Tohsaka for a second, then turned away. Then I felt it. My arm. It was yanked straight out to my side, and my opposite shoulder felt like an iron golem and sunk its fingers into it. I screamed in pain as I was lifted off the ground. The Python was yanked from my hand and tossed, clattering away. Then my right arm started to get pulled. I could hear it pop out of the socket over my screams. The flesh stretched, and stretched, and stretched...

"MARILYN!" Tohsaka bolted out of cover, her crest glowing. She pointed and fired a curse, and I was shook in mid-air. Tohsaka gritted her teeth and started to run and circle around me. I knew then that she had missed.

I was lifted higher, but Tohsaka fired again and again. Each time I was jostled around, hanging almost ten feet in the air. Tohsaka kept ducking and rolling, yellow tigers crouched behind her eyes as she kept up her barrage. Then I was jerked around more violently. It wasn't random anymore; Marilyn was going to use me as a human shield against Tohsaka. I tried to yell, but all I did was croak, "Tohsaka, don't stop..."

She never heard me. She saw what was up, and hesitated. I felt the pressure on my left shoulder leave, and now I was only held up by my dislocated right arm. I clenched my eyes shut as I screamed.

"Mikey! Hold...!"

And then Tohsaka was choking.

I forced my eyes open, and watched Marilyn step into view, her face a combination of smile and grimace. One arm was pointed at Tohsaka, who was being lifted into the air, her eyes turning red as she clawed at her throat.

Marilyn tittered, "I've heard a lot about you. The Tohsaka Family's prowess has always been the transferal of power, but I heard that you were quite the enigma. You managed to use that skill to do all matter of things, becoming a jack-of-all-trades." Marilyn narrowed her eyes, looking at the brooch at Tohsaka's neck, "Is that what you're using to stop me? Your spine should have been crushed by now. No matter. Let's see how powerful this supposed sorceress-in-waiting really is."

Tohsaka was lifted higher, and her eyes started to roll back, the whites glistening. A dribble of blood showed at the corner of her mouth.

Marilyn wasn't looking at me. I twitched my left arm. It could still move, but it hurt like hell. I made myself realize that it wasn't as bad as my right. Tears filled my eyes as I lifted my left across my body, the fingers feeling around in the right pocket of my overcoat.

Tohsaka's feet weren't twitching as much as they had.

I pulled the J-frame .38. I lined the sights. Marilyn laughed hysterically, her mind slipping deeper into her madness, "The great Rin Tohsaka, failure of the Fifth Heaven's Feel, the one who thought herself so great she turned her back on the Akashic Record!"

The hammer went back, and it all went quiet. They say .38's aren't that accurate.

I say they need more range-time.

The .38 cracked, and the hand Marilyn had stretched towards Tohsaka split in half, her left ring and pinky hanging on by a strip of sinew. Tohsaka and I were dropped to the ground as Marilyn yowled in pain. I landed flat on my face, only barely holding onto the J-frame, and started to crawl towards Tohsaka, who was lying on her back, unmoving. Marilyn fell to her knees, bawling her eyes out. I didn't pay any attention to her. I don't know how long it took, but I finally was leaning over Tohsaka. Her eyes were closed, and I tried to pull back her lids. She weakly slapped my hand away, and started coughing in my face. Say what you want about Tohsaka Rin; she was one tough chick.

Her eyes eventually came back into focus, and she looked at me and mouthed, "Marilyn."

I then heard scraping footsteps, and I turned and watched Cobalt get up and stagger towards a door that said it led to a train terminal. Tohsaka pushed me off of her, waving me away while forcing out, "Go... after... go get her... I'm fine, I'll follow...," she broke off into a spasm of coughs.

I nodded and staggered after Marilyn. She was stumbling up the stairs, weeping all the while. I wanted to tell her to stop, but my breath wasn't there. I followed after her, and she heard my footsteps after a floor. She turned to look at me, her cold blue eyes reminding me of a frigid, empty and lonely tundra. There was the sound of a door getting flung open below, then the sound of Tohsaka's wheezing. Marilyn kept going, and I kept chasing her.

She kicked open a door, and sunlight poured onto us. She ran out to the platform, and I struggled a few steps behind her. When I finally made it out, I was blinded by the sun for a moment. My vision was slow to return; everything was bathed in a heavenly glow. Marilyn was looking at the stairs coming up from the street, and at the top of them was a grim Reinald, flanked by several agents of the Clocktower. Marilyn turned and looked back at me, and I was lost in her eyes again. She reached into her pocket, and tossed me her lighter. Amidst everything, the hurrying commuters, the wails of sirens, and the sound of the oncoming train, I heard her, "Michael, I... it was too late for me to try.

"I'm sorry."

She stepped forward.

Some nights it's bad. I get up, my bedsheets choking me, the sweat causing them to stick. I practically run over to my liquor cabinet. I pull out a bottle of bourbon. No ice. No soda. No water. I fill a glass and down it all in one gulp, no matter how sick it makes me feel. I try to think about her eyes. It's the only thing that can take me away from what woke me: the moment of impact between her and the train.


	6. Chapter 6

I was back in their infirmary. They had spent all night beating me over the head with their questions. Tohsaka, too; she was in the bed next to me. It was the following morning, and we had the place all to ourselves. I was playing with the lighter.

Tohsaka sat up, but I paid her no mind. She stretched her arms high over her head, "Usually, I can't really get up in the morning. I slept pretty good, though. All things considering."

I didn't answer.

She pursed her lips, and stood up, leaning over me. I turned away from her. She sighed, then sat on the edge of my bed, her back to me. I didn't care. I was lost in the tide of my own thoughts.

"I know," she said, throwing a hand behind to hit my shoulder. I didn't feel it. "Let's see if I can remember," Tohsaka said.

"Remember what."

"Something in English. I don't think you'd get our... 'puns.'" She stretched out, holding her arms high above her head again before dropping them back in her lap, and swung her legs to-and-fro for a minute, like a child. "I used to know a bunch, even some entirely in English. My dad wanted me to learn it.

English, I mean. And German, too."

I would have turned to show her my confusion, but I was too tired. I let myself lie there limply. She didn't seem like she cared. She just started talking, "One day, an English grammar teacher was feeling ill. A student approached her, and asked, 'What's the matter?' The teacher said, 'Tense,' describing how she felt. The student thought for a moment," she put a little pause there, complete with striking a 'thinking' pose, "then said, 'What was the matter? What has been the matter? What might have been the matter?'"

There was a silence.

I felt a slow twitch on my face. I looked up at her big goofy grin, showing her that I had one of my own, and started to chuckle. She followed, and we sat there a while, just like that.


End file.
